How to Germinate a Lady Slipper

Unmatched in spellbinding beauty, Lady Slippers are a rare treasure to find in the wild and a remarkable specimen for the home garden. Lady Slipper is a common term used to describe 45 species of terrestrial orchids from the genus Cypripedium. With 12 native Cypripedium in North America, most regions of the United States are appropriate for growing Lady Slippers. The challenge is getting them to grow. The process of propagating Lady Slippers from seed is long and complicated -- a project only for tenacious gardeners.

Lady Slipper seeds
Sterile jar
Nutrient solution
4 inch clay pots
Potting soil

Instructions

- 1
  Seek out easy to grow varieties. Most Lady Slipper plants are notoriously difficult to propagate by seed, so looking for a less problematic variety may be your only chance for success, especially on the first try.
- 2
  Choose a variety that is appropriate to your hardiness zone. The majority of Lady Slippers are adapted to temperate zones with some degree of winter cold, though a small number of tropical varieties exist.
- 3
  Research the appropriate habitat and soil type for the Lady Slipper you want to grow. Your young seedlings will not survive if your garden has the wrong soil or exposure. Be sure the variety you choose grows well in cultivation.
- 4
  Start your seeds in a jar with a 1/2-inch layer of sterile nutrient solution. Potatoes, pineapple juice and coconut milk all contain hormones that stimulate germination. Keep the young sprouts in this solution until their growth tips turn brown.
- 5
  Transplant young sprouts into a rich potting soil. At this point, the seedlings must be exposed to three months of near-freezing temperatures to trigger leaf growth. This may be accomplished outdoors in winter or artificially in the spring or summer.
- 6
  Keep young plants well-watered in a cool, shady spot.

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